In December 2004 a student allegedly loaded a key logger spyware program on to math Professor Lisa Angelo’s laptop attempting to change his grades.

Joseph Sobotka, Jr. was failing Angelo’s class. So he sent several email messages to her asking that she open attached files. Sobotka described the files in his emails as homework assignments and even a Christmas card.

Angelo was unable to open the files that Sobotka sent to her because they were blocked by the schools email security programs. Sobotka then sent Angelo emails containing instructions on how to disable the schools email security.

When Angelo still failed to open the files Sobotka made a tutoring appointment with her. Sobotka gave Angelo a floppy disk claiming it contained homework he want to review with her. Instead it was a key logger spyware program hidden inside a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet.

Angelo was unaware that anything had been installed on her laptop. But she was made suspicious by the student’s persistence that she open the files he emailed her. So Angelo went to Doug Burak, the schools Systems Manager, and asked him to look at her laptop. What Burak found was the program Perfect Keylogger.

Perfect Keylogger records every keystoke, mouse click, and internet page viewed on the computer it is installed on. It can be hidden inside a legitimate file and will install itself with out the computer user ever knowing it is there. The program then collects information and sends it to an email address specified by the installer.

Perfect Keylogger is a legitimate and legal program that is available for purchase. The program is designed to help parents keep an eye on their children’s computer use, or to allow a suspicious spouse to track their partner’s online converstations.

Burak, by tracing the email address that the key logger was sending Angelo’s information to, was able to determine that Sobotka had installed the program. “He had her (Angelo’s) social security number, credit cards, and PIN numbers.” says Burak.

Professor Angelo was shocked saying “It was such a betrayal”. She does believe that Sobotka was not after her personal information, only her Bucks password. Angelo says that “this was a desperate student”.

Angelo added “Had he put as much effort in to his work as he did in to trying to change his grade, he probably would have passed”.

College security officers confronted Sobotka about the key logger before going to police. A move which proved to be a mistake. Once confronted Sobotka, in an attempt to destroy evidence, deleted the contents of his personal computer. Sobotka also went to Burak’s office to try to find out what information the school had about his involvement with the key logger.

Police confiscated Angelo’s laptop and sent it to the State Police Computer Crimes Taskforce. There, using computer forensics techniques, they gathered evidence and arrested Sobotka on felony computer crimes.

Sobotka was released on $50,000 bail. After several continuances a preliminary hearing is set for Oct. 3, 2005. Both Doug Burak and Professor Lisa Angelo will act as witnesses for the State.